West Sussex town has new 'sustainable council homes' with gardens and electric vehicle charging points

Five new ‘sustainable homes’ have been built by Adur District Council in Shoreham.

"The council’s contractors have demolished rows of old garages off Wilmot Road and have built in their place four two-bedroom houses and a one-bedroom accessible bungalow,” a council spokesperson said.

"Each of the new homes is well insulated and warmed through air source heat pumps, making them energy efficient and cheaper to run for future tenants.

"They also have gardens, water butts, EV charging points and additional trees and planting to reduce the impact on the environment.”

The new cul-de-sac has been named Wilds Row after prominent architect Amon Henry Wilds, who was responsible for developing some of Brighton’s most historic buildings in the 19th century and lived and was buried in Shoreham.

The council said its new terraced homes will each go to Adur citizens in need of somewhere to live.

A spokesperson added: “There are currently almost 1000 households on Adur’s housing waiting list, of whom around 130 are being housed in temporary accommodation.

"The new bungalow includes a wetroom and a specially adaptable kitchen that has been designed specifically for wheelchair users.”

Lee Cowen, Adur’s cabinet member for Adur Homes and customer services, said ‘too many’ residents have no permanent home because their ‘landlords have evicted them’ or they ‘cannot afford to take a step on the housing ladder’.

He added: “Many are having to be housed by the council outside the district, which strains their health due to the long distances they must travel for work, getting their children to school, and seeing friends and family.

“We will continue to build sustainable new council homes like those at Wilds Row and also invest in our existing properties, which our community so desperately needs.”

The work is part of the council’s plans to replace its old garage compounds and under-used sites with extra homes that families in the district need in Sompting, Lancing, Shoreham, Southwick and Fishersgate.

A total of 14 new council homes have been built in Adur so far in 2024, with more on the way in Southwick and Lancing.

More than £10m will also be spent over the next year improving Adur’s council homes, including replacing double-glazed windows and doors, repairing roofs and walls and fitting new kitchens and bathrooms for tenants.